Caroline's Apology
by JJBluebell
Summary: Caroline feels guilty about how she manipulated Klaus. 3x15 AU ending Klaroline


_**this is how i think 3x15 should have ended! KLAROLINE FOREVER!**_

The the blonde vampire feels for the broken, guilt-ridden friend as she speaks the truth, she loves Elena, but everyone around her seems to pay the price and she can't help how harsh her honesty seems. She promises to pass on Elena's message, but she already knows Bonnie can hear them, she understands that Bonnie isn't blaming her best friend for this, but to see her now… knowing she is the reason her mother, who she's only just found, is about to become a vampire is just too much!

Caroline watches Elena walk away with a sympathetic sigh, after closing the door she turns and sees her other best friend sobbing in the doorway of her bedroom and quickly makes her way over with arms wide open… she holds the witch and lets her morn her mother's human life, the new hardships ahead and the pain of what could have been.

As they pull apart Caroline looks from transitioning mother to heartbroken daughter, remembering how short a time it was when she lost her father to the same fate, it's too much "look Bonnie, I'm just going to head out, give you two sometime. Theirs blood in the fridge… take all the time you need!"

The witch nods in understanding and the two share a quick, tight hug, before the blonde grabs her jacket and leaves, sending back an understanding nod to her childhood friend.

As Caroline walks around she thinks back to her father, about the night he died, then her thought's drift to tonight, to the look on Klaus's face as he asked her to take a chance, the smile she wished she faked and his hurt and anger filled expression as she panicked, realizing he knew something was unfolding here. She gives a deep sigh as her eyes clench shut, realizing how she feels… guilty!

She finds herself outside the magnificent mansion taking a deep breath as she knocks on the door, only for Elijah to answer "Caroline, what can I do for you?"

She swallows hard before saying "I was hoping to see Klaus, is he here?"

He gives her a slightly confused look but nods, opening the door and moving aside to let her in "he's in the study…"

She sees the suitcases and frowns "are you guys going somewhere?"

"I'm unsure about Niklaus and Rebekah but Kol has vanished and I'm leaving… _Ester_ and Fin have also disappeared" he explains casually

She nods with a thin-lipped smile as he picks up his things "goodbye Caroline…"

"Bye!" she gives a timid wave and heads to the study

She walks into the room, finding brother and sister beside a roaring fire "what do you want?" Rebekah bites with folded arms

Caroline's eyes skim form hers to Klaus's curious big blue's "can we talk?"

His eyes don't tear from hers as he says "Rebekah could you give us a moment please sweetheart?"

His sister scoffs lightly and shakes her head, hands in the air as she walks out of the room; Klaus's eyes never leaving Caroline "so… I believe there's a reason you're here…"

She bites her lips slightly and takes a step closer to him, already feeling the heat of the flames against her skin "I'm here to explain… and apologize!"

He shrugs and says "well… please do, explain!"

"They had Elena, Damon had a plan, I just wanted her safe… you'd have done the same thing if it was Rebekah!" she offers, gesturing to the girl who just left

He shakes his head and retorts "She's my sister!"

"And Elena's mine! Maybe not by blood but she's always been there for me, always listened to me and loved me and that makes her my sister… you know it's strange, before I became a vampire I was always so jealous of Elena, our whole lives she was always picked first and I was the backup…" she says with her eyes down cast, looking at her hands

He stares at her for a moment as she continues "Bonnie only ever came to me when she couldn't go to Elena, Stefan kicked me back for Elena, Damon used me to get into her life, Matt to get over her and I guess that's one of the reasons I'm hanging on to Tyler so tight… he's the only one whose ever picked me first… then there's you!"

Their eyes meet and she takes a deep breath "I used whatever…'this' is against you and I'm sorry!"

He looks at her and takes a step forward "I thought you hated me?"

She runs a hand through her blonde locks and sighs "so did I… I mean you come to town, threaten and hurt the people I love, turned my boyfriend into a mindless hybrid slave and I hated you, god I hated you so much, then you turn into this sweet guy who opens up to me and looks at me like… like I matter!"

"Caroline… you think you don't matter? You're wrong, I've lived a long time, seen many things… and I see how much you all mean to each other, love Caroline… it's a vampire's greatest weakness…" he repeats words that he'd long believed

She nods lightly, tears in her eyes "yeah… but it's also why we keep fighting, why we do all the crazy stuff like, keeping them in coffins until its safe for them to wake up! …"

They stand there for a moment, orbs locked and he can't help but look back at the ashes eaten by the flames, turning from her as he says "I think it's time for you to leave…"

She stares at his tensed shouldered and shakes her head "I don't think you're as heartless as you want everyone to think, these last few weeks with me prove that… the bracelet , the dress, the drawing… the hurt in your eyes tonight… I'm not sorry for what I did, but I am sorry I hurt you…"

He closes his eyes fighting of the grief for this girl, who seemed to understand him and wasn't afraid to be brutally honest with him. Caroline bites her lip lightly to stifle a gasp, seeing the sketches of herself on the table and then the fire, realizing how injured he was by her actions and she walks over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder "you asked me to take a chance… I dare you to do the same!"

He turns to her then, her touch having startled him lightly as he searches her eyes "I dare you to understand, to not let the humanity I've seen die out!"

"Why do you care if I hold onto my humanity?" he squints his eyes and questions in curious suspicion

She looks him dead in the eyes and answers "because the guy who's been annoying me the last few weeks… I think he could be someone good, not such a jerk and besides… he seems like a good guy!"

The original fails to hold back his smile, seeing all his efforts hadn't gone completely to waste as her phone rings and she looks to see a text from Bonnie "I should go…"

She backs away and starts to leave the room but turns back at Klaus's cool voice "thank you, for coming here and your apology…"

She smiles and gives a small nod, the two sharing a smile, an understanding as she leaves the house and for the first time she understands what it is to be in Elena's shoes, caught between the good guy who loves you and the bad guy you should hate… but can't!

Meanwhile the original smiles to himself, taking the pictures from the table, his finger brushing over the image of the blonde and then glancing to the door where she had left, maybe there was hope for the old man yet… her name, Caroline Forbes!


End file.
